Tuesday's forecast: Polar vortex in July

Jul. 14, 2014
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by Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

by Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

While the Northwest stays hot and the north-central U.S. stays cool, more showers and thunderstorms will blast portions of the southern and eastern U.S.

Chilly in the center: Cool temperatures more typical of September will spread over the northern Plains, upper Midwest and Great Lakes states Tuesday with highs only in the 60s and 70s.

Soggy South, East: Humid and stormy conditions are likely in the Southeast and along the Eastern Seaboard Tuesday. Severe storms are possible from New York City to the Carolinas. Flash flooding could swamp portions of New England and the Northeast.

West: The heat wave will continue in the Northwest on Tuesday, where record heat is possible. Scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the Rockies and Southwest.

Weather history for July 15: In 1824, a hurricane wrecked 40 ships off the Outer Banks of North Carolina. In 1936, Peoria, Ill., hit an all-time record high temperature of 113 degrees.

In 2004, Austin, Texas, dropped to a record low temperature of 66 degrees.